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Good morning, dear Cherdo! Shady Del Knight here - the jolly, vain, pipe smoking, beard curling, troubled troll of blogging. I'm still hung over after a long day of travel and excitement (aka stress) so please forgive me if I got nuthin'.

If you will allow it, I would like to make an observation that I have introduced on other blogs over the years. I have noticed significant differences in the way Christmas icons, including elves, angels and cherubs, were drawn and painted 60 or more years ago compared to the way they are rendered in artwork since then. This also holds true for other iconic figures such as the Easter Bunny along with children, dogs, cats, birds and other animals. If you look at vintage greeting cards produced in the first half of the 20th century, you will noticed that many of these characters appear almost disturbing when compared to the warm, fuzzy, benign, whimsical creatures in modern commercial artwork. Look how much dolls have changed in a similar manner. Look at how the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker morphed over the decades. I would appreciate it if you and other readers would address this topic because I find it fascinating. What is behind this movement away from realism and toward whimsy over the last 60 years?

Of course, I can't answer with any authority, but I believe that a hundred years ago the push was for art's sake and detail added to realism. Part of the allure seemed to be that each of these characters were a bit of a wild card: Santa was nice - but he could find you "naughty" and give you coal. No sure thing there. Elves could be helpful - or ornery.

Or maybe it was the commercialism of it all. I remember my grandmother (b. 1916) telling me about cards she saved in a cedar box she got for her 16th birthday. She treasured three or four printed cards; they were beautiful and artistic renderings of Santa, cupid, etc.

Now, we buy hundreds of cards in a year and the bulk of them at Christmas time. There are hundreds of cards to choose from! Once received and read, you may save a few - but most end up in the trash.

Fuzzy, cute and "feel good" may be more marketable, especially in a "throw away" society.

Or, perhaps, art has gotten lazy. No one wants to work for hours, days or months on a piece (this from the gal who does my blog pics in about 15 minutes...)

He doesn't hop. As for the change toward the warm fuzzies, I attribute it to the Great Depression, which wasn't limited to the U.S., and World War II, which also was not limited to the U.S. People who grew up during that time or were young adults didn't want their children to experience frightening, unpleasant things. They went for a big Christmas tree with lots of presents around it, even if they couldn't afford it. Santa became someone sweet. You could take your kids to sit on his lap in the mall--something I never did with my children. My answer is a generalization, but I believe quite strongly that certain seminal events in history have changed the way we raise children. Warm fuzzies also sell well.

Give presents to the birthday child...or have the child be the gift to everyone. (Neither. Give presents to ME!)

Cherdo, after much thought, I have decided how to deal with the Christmas story situation for the Dec. 22nd blogfest. As you probably expected, I'm not going to play entirely by the rules, BUT... I still think you'll like what I come up with. If not, I'll send your money back with no questions axed.

And can I count on you to submit a vote on my current 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS' blog bit before time expires?

My Blogfest post is not going to be MY most memorable Christmas Day memory that I can remember... [Hmmm... seemed like an awful lot of "mem"s in that sentence.] It's going to be the most memorable Christmas Day memory of a person I once knew. But I knew him, and if I didn't, I never would have learned the story behind his most memorable Christmas Day memory. And believe me, this one is Absolutely A-list when it comes to memorable Christmas Day memories remembered by people who... uh... remember 'em.

I'm going to post a fantastic post if I reMEMber to. And if I don't remember, I will post a post-Blogfest memory.

Santa is Jolly and smoking a pipe. He can't be vain he eats too many cookies:) Snowman all the way as I have no idea who pinkman is but i am glad snowman is not yellowman. I choose pinecones since my mom loved collecting them(tothe tune of over 11 big grocery boxes of them and I am not kidding. I would choose a frozen fairy and then place her beside a nice fire to warm up. I would rather give gifts to my doggie...I am that kind of gal. I know what I will write about and post this Monday:)

I vote for Jesse Pinkman. He did some horrible things at the urging of his father figure, Walter White, but Jesse loved children and always took care of them. Remember when the meth heads managed to steal an ATM machine? Jesse didn't leave without making sure that the police were on the way to get their child. Uh . . . what was the question again?